El-Rufai confirms Lai Mohammed’s claim that FG spends N3.5m monthly on El-Zakzaky
Nasir El-Rufai has confirmed Lai Mohammed’s claim that the Federal Government spends N3.5m to keep Shi’a Muslim leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky in custody.
Mohammed came under intense criticism for the revelation, but the Kaduna State governor said the Information Minister was misunderstood.
El-Rufai, in reaction to the uproar Mohammed’s claims generated, said the sum also covers other expenses like Zakzaky’s security and their feeding.
“The N3.5 million monthly feeding on El-Zakzaky is not only about his food, but other expenses on security men attached to him. The security men are permanently stationed with him, they surrounded where he is kept,” El-Rufai is quoted as saying to The Sun Newspaper.
The FG has also been accused of going against court orders by keeping El-Zakzaky since 2015, but El-Rufai said no court orders have been violated.
“He is in custody because he is facing murder charge which is not bailable, among other charges.
“As a government, we decided to proscribe Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) of which El-Zakzaky is the president because it is not registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). So any procession in the name of IMN is illegal, as far as Kaduna State government is concerned,” he said.
El-Zakzaky’s next court appearance isn’t till January, after a court in Kaduna denied him bail a week ago.
